The Saint Lucia national women’s football team is set to undergo significant changes as they gear up for the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, scheduled across three FIFA Women’s International Match windows from November 2025 to April 2026. Following a second-place finish at September’s Windward Islands Football Association (WIFA) competition, the team is expected to strengthen its roster with at least six overseas players for the Concacaf W Qualifiers, the preliminary stage of the 2026 Concacaf W Championship. Last month, the team, comprised mostly of home-based players, played unbeaten until the title match in St Vincent and the Grenadines, where they lost to Barbados. Injuries and positional adjustments impacted their performance, with captain Cassandra Shepherd playing deeper than usual and not showcasing her usual goal-scoring prowess. The team’s top scorer, Krysan St Louis, a Texas A&M University graduate and former professional player in the United States, is expected to play a key role. Young forwards Kayla Polius, Amaya Emmanuel, and midfielder Tori Fanus also showed promise in the senior ranks. For the upcoming qualifiers, Saint Lucia is drawn in Group A alongside Mexico, Puerto Rico, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and the US Virgin Islands. The team’s first match is against the US Virgin Islands on November 27, followed by a tougher game against Puerto Rico on December 1. The squad is likely to blend players from the WIFA team and the 2023 Concacaf W Gold Cup, including Arnicka Louis and Kirsheema Ince, both of whom have excelled in US collegiate football. The team’s defense will be led by Racquel John, supported by consistent performers like Steffany Allain and goalkeeper Renala Francis. The involvement of US-based players and the support of organizations like the Free Kick Foundation and AR Student Athlete Soccer Scholarship Academy have been crucial in developing talent. However, the Saint Lucia Football Association and the government are urged to take more deliberate steps to ensure the players’ futures in higher-level football. The Concacaf W Qualifiers will feature 29 Member Associations, with the six group winners advancing to the 2026 Concacaf W Championship, which will serve as the qualifier for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 and the 2028 LA Summer Olympics.